Making a Change
Career success requires the courage to go your own way and believe in yourself, even in tough times. The journey won’t always be smooth. To be honest, you’ll likely experience several bumps in the road as you work your way toward the job you want.
One of those bumps? Changing your mind. What happens if you want to change your job aspirations after investing a lot of time preparing for a career?Â
If this happens, you won’t be alone. Even adults who’ve had a job for many years can suddenly decide to take a new path. They might realize that they selected the wrong career or that the job they chose no longer interests or challenges them.
I occasionally advise adults who’ve become restless in their career. Sometimes, they’re afraid to make a change because of family or social pressures. Sometimes, they don’t have the courage to go after what they want.
Courage isn’t necessary only as you embark on your first career journey. Courage and perseverance will be necessary throughout your career—and throughout your life.
Yes, it’s okay to change or expand your career aspirations, in increments large and small. It’s okay now and in the future. I’d like you to consider responses to these questions:
How would thinking about changing your career aspirations make you feel?
How might you respond to pressure from other people about what you should or shouldn’t do regarding a change in your career goals?
Can you see how different the responses to these questions might be for a person who fails to demonstrate courage than for a person who demonstrates courage?
